Spider-Man: Nutricula
by thesentence
Summary: New Paradise Comics crossover. Peter Parker tries to do the right thing, no matter what. Donovan Matthews does the right thing when it's convenient. One is a vigilante. One is a private soldier. Both will save New York from the Sinister Six.


Spider-Man/Nutricula

**Spider-Man: When Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider, he gained the power to stick to walls, had enhanced reflexes, and gained a precognitive spider sense, alerting him of danger. At first, he used these powers for personal gain, but when his uncle Ben was killed by the thief he let escape, he suddenly realized that with great power comes great responsibility. Now he uses his powers to fight crime and inspire others. He is... the Amazing Spider-Man!**

**Nutricula: When Staff Sergeant Donovan Matthews finished his time in the Army Special Forces, he realized that military pay was not enough to support him. Hiring his services to the United Nations as a mercenary, he wanted to take out bad guys and get paid doing it. During a mission in Afghanistan, he was almost killed by rogue Afghani soldiers, but the Black Priest gave him the power to fight back. With electric manipulation and the ability to reset his body to a healthy state, he took on the code name of the animal his powers are based on. He is... Nutricula!**

Spider-Man lands at a docks warehouse. He walks inside, seeing the Sinister Six with a tall, mechanical podium with a glowing orb on it. Standing in front of him are his six deadliest enemies: Alex O'Hirn, aka Aleksei Sytsyvich, aka Rhino. He also sees Rhino's sometimes partner, Herman Schultz, aka Shocker. Next to Shocker is Flint Marko, aka Sandman and next to him is old man Adrian Toomes, aka Vulture. Mysterio is now wearing green armor instead of his usual spandex. "I guess Quentin wanted to look more fab-U-lous," thought Spider-Man. Standing closest to the machine is of course the leader of the Sinister Six, Otto Octavius, aka Doctor Octopus, the most dangerous member. Doc Ock wears a black trench coat with a green turtleneck and black slacks with nicely polished black suit shoes. Spider-Man holds his hands up to his face in glee.

"You guys did all this for me? I'm touched!" Doc Ock speaks up in annoyance. "Keep joking, Peter. We lured you here so that no one would get in our way, especially not your Avengers buddies or the Fantastic Four." Spider-Man puts his hands on his hips. "I don't need their help to take down you clowns, or have you forgotten the cajillion number of times I beat you?" Rhino steps forward, smacking his fist into his other hand. "I'm going to enjoy beating you into a bloody stain, web head." "Oh wow, like I've never heard that one before. Why don't you stick to sucking at life, O'Hirn." Rhino growls until Shocker cuts in. "Relax, Rhino. You know how Spider-Man is. He's just trying to rile you up." Sandman turns around, staring at Doc Ock. "Hey doc, aren't we going to fire that baby up?" "You mean the EMP generator," asked Spider-Man. Doc Ock smirks at the wall crawler. "Very good, Peter." "Uh yeah, I read the files that SHIELD had on it. It can siphon the electromagnetic energy of the sky itself, creating a massive electromagnetic pulse, or EMP." "We're going to cause a global black out. No internet, no cell phones, no cars, no computers. Not a single electric device will work around the globe."

Spider-Man now squints in confusion under his mask. "A global black out? But what do you gain from that, Otto?" "Why ransom, of course! Until we get what we want, no one will have electricity anywhere." Spider-Man puts up his dukes, ready to fight now. "You know I can't let you do that." Suddenly, there is a small rumble coming from the rooftop of the small warehouse. Doc Ock then points to the roof. "Vulture, go check it out." Vulture nods, but before he can fly out, a man in a black protective, militarized suit on with a black mask and goggles smashes in, landing on Vulture's back and slamming him into the ground. With an electric blast from his black gloved right hand, he sends Shocker flying. "WHAT THE HEY," shouts Spider-Man as the mysterious soldier lifts Rhino with an ionized electric bubble and throws him outside. Sandman throws a sand punch at the soldier in black, but he leaps out-of-the-way. The soldier in black stands next to Spider-Man.

"I could've handled them," said Spider-Man in a cocky voice. "Then why didn't you," asked the soldier in black. Spider-Man's spider sense goes off when Vulture rams into the soldier, slamming him into the wall. The soldier in black pounds his knuckles on Vulture's back, trying to knock him off. "Sinister Six, we are compromised! Move out," shouts Doc Ock. Vulture flies through the roof with the soldier in tow. Spider-Man runs outside and holds his hands to his face to magnify his voice. "Hey, Soulja Boy! You better Superman that ho!" "NOT HELPING," shouts the soldier. Spider-Man leaps and shoots a web at Vulture's leg, then yanks him down. The soldier in black then gives a very hard punch to Vulture, causing him to drop the soldier into the water. Vulture flies away, but not before picking up Rhino. Spider-Man jumps to the edge of the pier, worried that the soldier might drown.

"Oh please, tell me you can swim." Just then, the soldier in black emerges from the water in an ionized electric field. He lands on the pier in front of Spider-Man. Spider-Man stands up straight to talk to him. "So what gives? Who are you and why bust in there like that?" The tall soldier in black takes off his mask, revealing an African-American male with a very low haircut. He then gives Spider-Man a salute. "Greetings, Spider-Man. I'm Staff Sergeant Donovan Matthews, code name Nutricula. I'm a soldier of fortune for the United States government." "Ooh, so you're a mercenary. Sweet, but why Nutricula?" "Turritopsis nutricula. That is the animal that I draw my powers from." Spider-Man feels a light bulb shine in his brain. "Of course, I did a study on that. The immortal jellyfish, right?" "That's the one!"

"So what brings you to New York, Sergeant Matthews?" Donovan drops his salute. "Same reason as you, I imagine. I'm here to stop the Sinister Six." "Then I guess we better get a move on, then." Donovan looks confused by Spider-Man's words. "How? We don't know where they're going." Spider-Man takes out a homing device. "I put one of my tracers on Vulture before he took off. Otto grabbed the EMP generator with his tentacles. It seems like they are headed toward the Washington Bridge." Donovan puts his mask back on. "Then let's go. Do you have enough webs?" Spider-Man checks his web cartridges. "It seems that I am down to my last four." "Then I'll give you a lift." Spider-Man is now inside of an ionized bubble with Nutricula inside of his own. "Show me where to go."

Spider-Man and Nutricula fly over toward the Washington Bridge, seeing Rhino charge through cars on the street, tossing them aside. Nutricula is able to levitate them right side up before serious harm comes to the civilians inside of them. "So Sergeant Matthews, does using your electric power drain you?" "Actually, Spider-Man, it does. When I fell into the water a few minutes ago, it restored my charge. I should have a full day's charge for now." Spider-Man's spider-sense tingles. "Rhino and Sandman are attacking the people on the bridge! Sergeant Matthews...," Nutricula hurls Spider-Man at the bridge, but he lands slowly and safely. Rhino immediately charges at Spider-Man, who jumps out-of-the-way. Spider-Man then shoots webs at his ankles before pulling and knocking Rhino down. Sandman tries to attack, but Nutricula traps him in an electric bubble. Nutricula has trouble with him as Sandman tries to break out. Nutricula then tosses him off the bridge and into the water.

"Two down, four to go," said Spider-Man.

Spider-Man now swings through the Queens area of New York City, following the tracer that he put on Vulture. Nutricula follows by air, seeing the holographic screen in front of Spider-Man's mask. "That's some pretty expensive gear you have, wall crawler." "I'm using this gear to find Vulture, Sergeant Matthews. He's...," Spider-Man lands on a large rooftop, walking over to what appears to be his tracer. Spider-Man picks it up. "Oh no." His spider sense tingles, causing him to dodge. Shocker had fired a blast at him from behind as Spider-Man looks ready to pounce. Nutricula lands on the rooftop and Vulture hovers right beside Shocker.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice the tracer, Spider-Man," asked Vulture. "How many times have you used it on me, now?" Nutricula fires a blast at Shocker, but he absorbs it. "That's right, lightning bug, I got your number! You caught me off guard earlier, but now I'm ready for you!" "Are you," asked Nutricula in a threatening voice. Shocker blasts Nutricula, but he also absorbs Shocker's blasts. Spider-Man manages to drop kick Shocker while Vulture flies at Nutricula. Vulture and Nutricula fly up as Nutricula uses his bubble to protect and levitate himself. Vulture throws a punch, but Nutricula quickly blocks and counters. Spider-Man dodges from Shocker's blasts as the hitman runs closer to his prey. Nutricula knocks Vulture onto the rooftop before punching his lights out. Spider-Man swings a large piece of debris at Shocker, but as he blasts it into dust, Nutricula tackles him. Shocker makes a charged punch, but only charges up the mercenary. Spider-Man and Nutricula then double team Shocker with two mighty jabs, knocking him out.

"Whoo hoo," shouts a happy Spider-Man. "Don't celebrate yet, Spider-Man. We still have two more to deal with."

Spider-Man and Nutricula both land at an abandoned parking garage on the top-level. Before they can take the first step, Mysterio appears in front of them by magic. Nutricula sounds unimpressed. "Oh, it's you, Quentin. Don't you have a stage show to attend to?" "Sergeant Matthews, I don't think you want to antagonize him right now," said Spider-Man. "Why not? What's his projectors going to do to us?" Mysterio creates two round saw blades and throws them at Nutricula, but Spider-Man grabs them with his webs and slams them down. Nutricula sounds surprised. "Those... those are real?!" "That's what I was trying to tell you, Nutricula! His projections aren't illusions anymore! When he came back from Hell, he was infused with dark magic. Anything he creates now is real!" Mysterio laughs. "Very real and very deadly for both of you. My projectors are infused with the dark arts that I learned in Hell, so I can create whatever I wish!"

Mysterio floats into the air and creates a warthog. The warthog charges at Nutricula, who dodges left to avoid it, but Spider-Man just hops onto its back. "Ride em, cowboy!" The warthog starts bucking to shake Spider-Man off, but the wall crawler doesn't budge. "Hello?! I can stick to surfaces, remember?" "Spider-Man, clear out," shouts Nutricula as he fires an electric ball at the warthog, causing it to explode into light particles. Mysterio creates a tornado, hoping to blow them away. Nutricula covers himself and Spider-Man with electric bubbles right away to resist the force of it. Nutricula then flies quickly at Mysterio, firing a series of electric blasts, tearing through his creations until Spider-Man does a double kick on the would-be magician. Nutricula then grabs Quentin's arm and unleashes a charge, burning up his projectors and seems to be burning him.

"DONOVAN, STOP!" Spider-Man tackles Nutricula to the ground. Nutricula pushes him off. "What are you doing?" "We're supposed to protect people," shouts Spider-Man. Nutricula stands up and points his right thumb at himself. "And that's what I'm doing. Quentin Beck is a murderer and so is Otto Octavius. I'm going to finish my mission." "By killing them? You can't do that!" "Um yeah, I can. I'm a mercenary, remember? I was told to handle them with no mercy." "No one has the right to kill! No one dies, not on my watch!" Nutricula sighs.

"Spider-Man, you're a vigilante, so I understand why you can't kill anyone; it's because the press will think that you've gone too far if you did. However, I'm a mercenary, so I don't have to worry about that. I also need to remind you that Doctor Octopus has killed many people _on your watch,_ so don't preach to me about morals, you damn peacock!"

"Trouble in paradise, boys," asked Doc Ock, standing by the EMP generator. Spider-Man leaps over to Otto and points. "We won't let you use that thing, Otto. We'll stop you." "Stop me, Peter? I've already activated it. Yes, I'm afraid that the rest of my team were a distraction while it charged up. I knew you would defeat them like you always do, but the mercenary in black was an unexpected arrival, so I had to change the plan." Nutricula charges at Doc Ock with his bubble over him. Doc Ock lunges his tentacles at Nutricula, who dodges in mid-air. Nutricula tackles Doc Ock, but Otto grabs him by the waist with his tentacle and slams him. Nutricula electrocutes the tentacle, then frees himself as he does a sweeping kick at Otto. Nutricula is surprised when Otto blocks his kick with his arm. Nutricula quickly follows up with quick palm strikes, but Otto strikes with a spin kick. Nutricula is confused.

"What gives? There are no records of him knowing martial arts!" Spider-Man rubs his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, about thaaaaat... Otto spent time in my body. During that time, he had access to my memories." Nutricula looks at Spider-Man with an angry voice. "And that includes your skills, right? I know about your training with Shang-Chi." Nutricula points at Otto, still with an angry voice. "See, this is what I'm talking about, Spider-Man! You're not fighting criminals, you're helping them, and that whole no one dies speech of yours? I'm sorry, web head, but EVERYONE DIES! You can't be everywhere and save everyone, and if you think you can, then you live in a fairy tale world! You need to get your head out of the clouds and focus on what's in front of you!" "Spoken like a true soldier," said Doc Ock. The EMP generator fires a blue electric beam into the sky. "Oh no, we have to shut it down," said a worried Spider-Man. Nutricula covers Otto with one of his bubbles and slams him into the machine, shattering the round dome and breaking it. Nutricula then holds Otto a few feet above ground as he begins to electrocute him.

"No, stop!" Screams Spider-Man. "And why should I do that? If I let him go, he'll just kill more people. When he dies, my mission is over." "Would you forget about your mission for a moment, Nutricula?! What do you have to gain by killing Otto?" Nutricula becomes angry again. "You're not getting this, are you?! Otto Octavius is a murderer. I am authorized to kill him, and I have every right to do so. After all, you have no authority here! You are not a cop or a government official, so I do not answer to you!" Spider-Man puts his hand on Nutricula's shoulder. "Please, Donovan. Don't do this. Talk to your conscience." Nutricula looks back at Otto and sighs. "Fine." Nutricula puts him down. Spider-Man then webs him on the spot before walking back to Nutricula. "The cops will deal with Otto now."

Spider-Man and Nutricula turn around to walk away, but one of Otto's tentacles are free. The tentacle reaches out to strike, but Spider-Man's spider sense catches wind of it. Nutricula sees the tentacle and pushes Spider-Man out-of-the-way when Nutricula gets impaled by it. "DONOVAN," shouts Spider-Man. Limping, Nutricula puts a bubble around Otto's head before slamming it hard on the pavement, knocking him out. Spider-Man leaps to Nutricula's side.

"Happy," said a slightly angry Nutricula.

Down in the garage, Nutricula sits against the wall as he bleeds out. "We need to get you to a hospital," said a worried Spider-Man. "No hospitals." "But you're bleeding out! You need...," "Spider-Man, I'm fine. I told you, my powers are based on the immortal jellyfish. I have a hole in my gut, but pretty soon my body will reset itself." Spider-Man kneels down, curious. "What do you mean by _reset itself_?" "If I suffer from an injury, I can reset my body into a healthier state." "Oh yeah, like the T. Nutricula. Wait, you're not going to turn inside out, are you? Eeeeeeewwww!" Nutricula gets startled. "Not like that, but I am going to glow though." Spider-Man makes a joking gasp. "So you're a Time Lord?" "No, Spider-Man, I'm not Doctor Who." "Well, you certainly sound like it, and by the way, he's not called Doctor Who; he's called the Doctor." Nutricula has taken off his mask as he lays down. "You're... still... not funny."

A dim purple glow covers Nutricula's body as Spider-Man shouts jokingly. "NOOOOOO! DAVID TENNANT, DON'T DIE!"

"Shut up."

"YOU WERE THE BEST DOCTOR!"

"Shut up."

"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

"I WILL STRANGLE YOU IN YOUR SLEEP!"

The purple glow swallows up Donovan Matthews now as Spider-Man rises to his feet and pumps his fists into the air. "Yeah! Face change, face change, face change..." Spider-Man repeats this in a loop as the glow dies down when... "Face... chaaaaaaaannnnnnge?!" Donovan rises to his feet, his wound completely gone. "Dude, what gives? You look exactly the same." "I told you, I'm not a Time Lord, but I can imagine why you would think that. It's possible that the immortal jellyfish was the inspiration for Time Lord regeneration through multiple lives." "So, where to now, Mr. Gun for hire?"

Spider-Man and Nutricula step outside as night begins to fall. Spider-Man makes a giddy look at Nutricula. "What is it," asked Nutricula. "Can we fly again before you leave?" Nutricula shrugs. "Fine. I'll just drop you off at your job." Spider-Man makes a nervous laugh. "What do you mean?" "Horizon Labs. You're Peter Parker. You see, I am briefed on a mission before I take it. The people in office know all about you, Mr. Parker. So, you ready?" Spider-Man holds his hands to his face. "I feel a song coming." An electric bubble appears over Spider-Man's body. "I believe I can fly..." Spider-Man holds his palms out, motioning for Nutricula to join in. Donovan smiles as he forms a bubble around himself. "I believe I can touch the sky..." The two make their way across the city, taking Spider-Man to his workplace.

**The End**


End file.
